Within three or four days, Shi Miao had heard seven or eight different versions. No matter what was being said, she knew it was all false.
But when she heard that her brother had become a father, she suddenly wasn't so sure.
[Bro, am I really an aunt now? (snicker)(grin)]
Shi Wenli: [Where did you hear that gossip?]
Shi Miao: [It sounded kind of true though.]
Shi Wenli: [Qinghe and I don't plan on having children for now. We'll talk about it after we go public.]
He then asked his sister: [I'm cooking on housewarming day. What dishes do you and Min Ting want? Think it over and send me your order.]
Shi Miao: [Okay. I'll order a couple of extra dishes for Min Ting too.]
--
As the Spring Festival holiday approached, everyone was busy either returning to their hometowns, shopping for New Year supplies, or planning short trips. Gradually, people stopped buzzing about Shi Wenli's blind date.
On the evening of the 28th of the lunar month, Shi Wenli and Xu Qinghe moved into their new home ahead of time.
Shi Miao and Min Ting came over to help them sort things out.
Her brother had also brought the tablecloth from the rental apartment.
"Bro, do we need to spread this tablecloth?"
"Yes, we do."
The voice came from the master bedroom.
Min Ting reached out his hand: "Give it to me."
Shi Miao spread it herself: "I do know how to spread a tablecloth."
She clarified again, "I just didn't have time to make the bed, but that doesn't mean I can't do anything."
Ever since she got together with Min Ting, he was the one who made the bed in her on-call room.
Min Ting smiled faintly: "I know you're very capable."
Shi Miao could hear the teasing in his tone. As she passed by him, she gave him a gentle shove.
After spreading the fresh tablecloth, she was a bit puzzled: "The table at the rental apartment was too old, so covering it with a cloth made sense. But this new dining table—why bother with a tablecloth?"
Min Ting helped place the vase on it and replied, "If it's spread, then someone must like it."
Shi Miao instantly understood—it was her sister-in-law who liked it.
Maybe it was because she had been staying up late this year, but her reactions were getting slower and slower.
Many things required being pointed out for her to grasp.
After the living and dining rooms were tidied up, the two in the master bedroom still hadn't finished making the bed.
Min Ting took Shi Miao's phone: "Come on, let's go home so you can sleep early."
When Shi Wenli finished making the bed and came out of the master bedroom, his sister and brother-in-law had already left.
A note was left on the dining table—no words, just a ^_^.
Clearly, his sister had wanted to leave a smiley-face note, and Min Ting had drawn it for her.
He called toward the bedroom: "Qinghe, you can shower now. Shi Miao and her husband have gone back."
"Okay."
Shi Wenli sat down at the dining table and scrolled through the chat records, compiling a list of everyone's requested dishes.
He had just compiled four when his mother called.
Zhao Moyin was abroad recently, with a time difference. She had many contacts on her Moments and rarely scrolled through them when busy, so she had missed her son's two posts.
It wasn't until noon today that her ex-husband called to tell her their son had a girlfriend and asked her to find time after the New Year to meet with Qinghe's parents.
She had been busy nonstop these past few days. Only in the evening did she have a moment to come see her eldest son with her younger son.
Her younger son had just graduated from university and, instead of staying in the family company, had gone to work for a company in the south. He had just returned home for the holiday today.
When the call connected, she asked directly: "Wenli, are you home? Your brother and I are downstairs."
Shi Wenli's tone was calm: "Mom, I've moved. I don't live there anymore."
Zhao Moyin was taken aback: "When did you move? Where did you rent?"
"I didn't rent. I bought an apartment in Miao Miao's complex."
Her son had bought a house without telling her, and he hadn't mentioned the move either.
Zhao Moyin felt a pang of bitterness. She set aside all her emotions for now: "Tell me the specific building number, and your brother and I will come over."
Shi Wenli was silent for a moment.
"Wenli?"
Zhao Moyin thought the signal had dropped.
Her son had never failed to answer her.